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CHARLES GEORGE COL. USAF, (Ret) Age, 71, a resident of Albuquerque, died Wednesday, November 2, 2011. He is survived by his wife of 46 years, Regina Marie Thomas of Albuquerque, NM; three children, Jennifer Harkins and husband, Brian of Boston, MA, Elizabeth Shriver and husband, Jesse of Las Vegas, NV, and Brian Thomas and partner, Drury Roberts of Lubbock, TX; grandchildren, Rachel and Emily Harkins and Amanda and Eric Charles Shriver; sister, Eileen Bikowicz and husband, Robert of Scotia, NY; brother, Lawrence Thomas and wife, Mary of Phoenix, AZ; numerous nieces and nephews; and many friends. Colonel Thomas was preceded in death by his parents, Charles and Mary Thomas; and daughter, Carolyn Marie. He was born in 1940 in Manhattan, NY and was a graduate of the Air Force Academy, Class of 1961. Colonel Thomas married the former Regina Pitassy in October of 1965. He had various Air Force assignments, and received two Legion of Merits, an Air Medal and nine Vietnam Service Medals. Colonel Thomas flew over 7000 hours in several different aircraft, his favorite being the C-141. His final military assignment was Wing Commander of the 1606th Air Base Wing at Kirtland AFB from 1985 to 1988. After leaving the Air Force, Charlie worked for Governor Gary Carruthers as a Cabinet Secretary of the General Services Department. Col Thomas spent 13 years at Sandia National Laboratories before retiring. He was also on the board of the Albuquerque International Sunport; Past President of the Southwest Defense Alliance; a board member of the Air Force Association; was one of the original members of the Kirtland Partnership Committee which was responsible for the retention of Kirtland Air Force Base during BRAC; and for the past 20 years was Military Analyst for KOAT, Channel 7 in Albuquerque. In 2010, Col. Thomas received the Albuquerque Chamber of Commerce Steve Schiff Award. Charles was a member of John XXIII Catholic Community. Friends may visit French-Lomas Chapel Sunday, November 6, 2011 from 2:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. A Mass of Christian Burial will be celebrated on Monday November 7, 2011, 11:00 am at John XXIII Catholic Community, 4831 Tramway Ridge Dr. NE, Albuquerque, with Father Arkad Bizak as Celebrant with a reception following at the church. Interment will take place at The Air Force Academy Cemetery in Colorado Springs, CO at a later date. In lieu of flowers, memorial contributions may be made to St. Kizito Elementary School in Mekenke, Uganda or St. Mary's High School in Eleneacita, Kenya in care of John XIII Catholic Community, 4831 Tramway Ridge Dr. NE. Please visit our online guestbook for Charles at www.RememberTheirStory.com. FRENCH 10500 Lomas Blvd NE 505-275-3500 Special Instructions
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